...Currently I'm not doing this and want to get some more educated opinions on whether I should add them now or later. I just started heavily this year so haven't built much wealth yet. I have a 14 year run planned. During this growth period, I am doing a 70/20/10 all stock (large cap/mid cap/international). Is this enough diversification while the account is growing, or do you think it's too volatile (without bonds)?
My thought process is telling me to grow as much as I can, but still diversify, and when I get near the end of the 14 year run and retire, I will then change over to a more preservation styled 40/60 stock/bond allocation. It's not that I'm uncomfortable with my choice thus far, I'm just not sure, or rather, ignorant of what will happen when I change the portfolio suddenly to heavy bond, light stocks at retirement. Would I need to worry that my collective amount will take a huge hit from the change, or should I simply add the stocks now at a more conservative 80/20 stock/bond split and ride with that until retirement? Is converting from stocks to bonds or vice versa a dramatic change to the portfolio balance depending on how much you've accumulated at the time of conversion?